Scott Edwards

Where do you work?

I work in the University of Washington’s Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture and Department of Zoology in Seattle, Washington.

What do you do?

I use molecular biology to study the geographical movements of birds and the history of their diversification. By comparing the DNA sequences of different birds of the same species from different localities or from different species of birds, I link these individuals, populations, and species in a genealogical framework (phylogeny). A sort of evolutionary family tree, this framework depicts the history of movements and changes in a lineage. It is one of the best tools an evolutionary biologist has for inferring the history of life.

What inspired you to do what you do?

When I was about ten my next-door neighbor took me bird watching for the first time. I was amazed to learn that there were woodpeckers in my backyard, so close to New York City! I could not believe I was staring at the same bird whose picture in the field guide seemed so elusive. Seeing something that you have seen before in a book in person for the first time can be riveting—like seeing your favorite movie star walk past your house.

Besides your work, what other interests do you have?

My family, including our ten-month-old daughter, enjoys the outdoors—hiking, biking—and physical challenges. Nothing is more exciting to me than finally making it to the top of a high mountain to enjoy the view. Exploring the desert is also fun.

I enjoy reading, music, and museums and visiting my three nieces in Boston. And I am committed to exposing minority groups and students to the wonders of the outdoors and science, biology in particular.

What keeps you interested in your work?

In both the field and the lab, it is the hope of discovering something new that drives me on. When you are searching in a scientific direction that has not been searched before, you have a strange feeling of weightlessness or sometimes disorientation. No one can tell you which direction to go. Although this can be confusing, more often it is thrilling, particularly when you think you are on to something interesting.

What goals have you set for yourself?

I would like to conduct a biogeographic analysis of Australian birds by inferring the molecular relationships of several different groups in different parts of the continent. To do a thorough job will take several more expeditions and several years of DNA analysis in the lab. But we will then be in a position to compare patterns of diversification—not only for different bird species, but for different groups of insects, plants, and other organisms. In turn, this information will give us real insight into the tempo of evolution in Australia and tell us how evolution proceeded differently there than on other continents.

How would you suggest getting started in your field?

I know it sounds commonplace, but studying hard in school is probably the best way to get started in science. After that I would recommend grabbing a pair of binoculars or a microscope or even a tape recorder and finding out what part of nature you enjoy looking at or listening to. If you’re advanced enough and ready to dive in, I suggest volunteering at a museum near you.

What resources can you suggest to the layperson interested in your field?

I suggest John Avise’s book Molecular Markers, Natural History and Evolution. David Quammen’s recent book, The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinctions, is an excellent introduction to field biogeography. I am a big fan of Steven Jay Gould’s writings, which appear each month in the magazine Natural History and in many books.

On the Web, check out the Burke Museum at the University of Washington, where I work, and the Tree of Life.

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